1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to clothes dryers and, more particularly, to a clothes dryer with an integral ultraviolet light for purposes of reducing germs and bacteria.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent society, there has been a trend toward increased sanitization of everyday objects and surfaces one tends to come in contact with. This trend is evidenced by a quick trip to a local store where one will find the shelves lined with antibacterial soap, hand lotion sanitizer, anti-bacterial surface cleaner, HEPA air filtration systems and the like. However, the one object that we all touch every day, our clothing, remains untouched by this trend. Even with the clothing being washed daily, small microorganisms, either picked up throughout the day, or even in the water used to wash the clothes, remain on the clothing and can lead to further disease transmission. This same problem exists for bed linens, towels and other textiles that one comes in contact with every day.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related:    U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,340 discloses an utraviolet, antibacterial, antifungal dryerlight.    U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,678 discloses an armoire adaptable to a sauna, drum dryer, and tubular lighted clothing dryer with humidity damper control of exhaust gases.    U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,725 discloses a compact microwave clothes dryer and method.    U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,831 discloses an infrared-radiating clothes dryer.    U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,750 discloses a clothes dryer with Peltier effect heating, infrared heating, and vacuum drying capabilities.    U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,907 discloses a method and apparatus for drying clothes.    And, U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,932 discloses an efficiency clothes dryer.
Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus and method of sanitizing clothes as they are dried.